It also, consequently, makes the advertisements which they show to you far less valuable. So this feature is not widely advertised.

    • Billegh@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      46
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      9 days ago

      They do. When enabled, they don’t use it to serve you ads based on those things.

      They still collect and sell it. They just don’t show you ads based on it.

      • NateNate60@lemmy.worldOP
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        8
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        9 days ago

        Google says it doesn’t sell your personal info to third parties. While you would be well within your reason to suspect this isn’t true, it is actually legally relevant because it means, as a consequence, Google doesn’t provide a “do not sell my personal information” opt-out link which would otherwise be required by California law (where Google is headquartered).

        • Scrollone@feddit.it
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          6
          ·
          9 days ago

          I think the Do Not Sell My Information applies to users that are living in California. So Google could just show it to them, and not to all the other users

        • acockworkorange@mander.xyz
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          3
          ·
          9 days ago

          No, selling your personal info would be detrimental to their business model. It would feed their competitor’s databases. They sell aggregate data, though.

  • slazer2au@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    24
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    9 days ago

    Yea, but then you get an absolute fuck tonne of gambling or ai girlfriend ads because they will not limit their advertising scope.

  • reddig33@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    3
    arrow-down
    5
    ·
    9 days ago

    YSK: If you turn off this feature, you cant use the “never show this ad again” feature on YouTube.

    I have mixed feelings about this because if Chik Fil A wants to waste its money repeatedly showing its ads to a gay vegetarian — by all means, let me help you empty your pockets. But if you’re Kristy Noem showing me a “we’re going to deport you” ad — i want to throw my remote at my TV.

    • Lyra_Lycan@lemmy.blahaj.zone
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      5
      ·
      9 days ago

      This. I thoroughly checked all of my account’s settings and toggled off about 15 switches related to history or data access. Not only that, Google can occasionally add new ones or toggle them back on, either through deceptive user prompts or underhanded updates.

  • ImmersiveMatthew@sh.itjust.works
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    5
    ·
    9 days ago

    The joke is on them as I am the sort of person who does not see the ads. I mean I see them of course, but they extremely rarely make me interested. Like it is very rare that I see an ad and click on it. This the case on all platforms and I am not blocking my data. I wonder what % of people are like me as I cannot be the only one? I am not even saying that there could not be more ads I would be interested in, but clearly the tech no matter how advanced they say it is, is not very sophisticated as of yet.

    • ArcaneSlime@lemmy.dbzer0.com
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      2
      ·
      9 days ago

      The only ads I ever click on are when I search something like “brother dcp-l2550w toner” and the first result is an ad for Staples where I was going to buy the thing anyway. Even if I saw an ad for that exact toner and said “ah, that reminds me I need more toner,” I’d still not click that ad but rather go search as described because I do not click ads.

      There have been times I’ve been so annoyed by a company’s ads that instead of buying their product I go with their direct competitor out of pure spite (if I needed something like the item in question, ykwim).

    • Lyra_Lycan@lemmy.blahaj.zone
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      2
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      edit-2
      9 days ago

      I used to be the same, but I eventually got sick of seeing these constant requests to spend my money on whoever’s product. If I see a problem that can be solved with a product, I know tlwhere to find stores, and I’ll go look for it. I don’t need 45,000 attempts at my money in case one is what I need. So I block all ads, pointedly avoid sponsored results, and use my own brain to decide what I want, when I want it.

      Plus it improves my experience on all services when the UI isn’t wasted on banners and games don’t play a video every thirty seconds. I haven’t yet figured out how to block real-world ads. Maybe XR glasses with a brand censoring mod lol

      • NateNate60@lemmy.worldOP
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        9 days ago

        I think the idea is that you are interested in a topic, and so they show you an advertisement that says “Product A does X!” You might not think about it nor click on it, but maybe later on, you need to do X, and then you remember, “hey, Product A does X, I should check it out.” And then that maybe turns into a sale for them.

  • zerozaku@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    1
    arrow-down
    2
    ·
    9 days ago

    For a layman this sounds counterintuitive. Get non personalised ads sounds like you are going to be bombarded with obscene ads which you don’t want. But in reality it’s way worse turning it on. I was suprised I had it turned on for a very long time because when I made my account it sounded like that.

    • Akuchimoya@startrek.website
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      4
      ·
      9 days ago

      Turning off the targeted ads settings indeed prevents Google from showing you overtly targeted ads. It makes no claim that it prevents Google from harvesting the same data that is used to target ads

  • NihilsineNefas@slrpnk.net
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    8
    ·
    9 days ago

    Anyine else remember when google were legally forced to start asking you for your location?

    This is that. Don’t use google. Stop supporting corporations that openly tell you they’re supporting not just the unfetterd harvesting of data but also use said data to support countries currently committing Genocide.

    • MonkderVierte@lemmy.zip
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      edit-2
      8 days ago

      Usually a picture with text, that lies to you and tries to manipulate you into buying something.

      They also spy on you, so the ad-provider can figure out your secret interests, to better manipulate you.